Possession
by katachresis
Summary: Sesshomaru and Miroku walk a line between love and obsession as fate and fortune find a new set of pawns. :: Noncannon, yaoi with some lime
1. how it all began

This is a prologue for yet another FluffyxMiroku fic. And yes, this time, Fluffy will definitely be the seme. (Unlike Silent Laughter, where Mirochan's technically the seme, but the roles are really rather fuzzy) Also, though this part is in first person, I'm hopefully going to be writing the rest in third. ^^  
  
I'm not positive where I'm going with this. It may be sweet, it may be dark, it may be a little bit of column A... little bit of column B. Probably will be lemon-y or at the very least lime. As usual, no flames please. The story is yaoi and non-cannon, deal with it.  
  
Anyway, enjoy, as I try to get the momentum necessary to finish SL! ^^  
  
~*~  
  
I knew he recognized me from the start. His eyes had widened slightly, he paused for a second, afraid. And then, he took a breath and came to me, dropped to his knees beside me.  
  
The monk who always traveled with my half-breed bastard of a brother found me before my servant as I lay there, broken and bleeding, letting my body heal itself from yet another battle. And instead of finishing my life, he attempted to save it.  
  
I remember his touch as light, sure and soft as he bandaged my wounds. His brow had furrowed with concentration as wisps of hair escaped the tight ponytail he had gathered it into.   
  
Our conversation was brief, stilted. I was wary of him, even though his looks were full of warmth and kindness. He cheerfully chattered about nothing important, asking me few questions and revealing little about himself or his companions. The exchange would have been almost impersonal if it hadn't been for his warm smile, the way his lips hitched up into a lazy smile every so often.   
  
He bathed and bandaged my wounds, laid a hand on my forehead, smiling slightly as he spoke a chant of healing for me. And then he left me, silently fading into the forest and leaving me alone.  
  
I saw him again, of course. Every time I crossed paths and swords with my brother, the monk was in the background, ready to fight for the lives of his friends if need be. But, in my thoughts, he gradually became the center of attention. I would find his face in my head at the most inopportune of moments, even during my dreams.  
  
Why would he throw his energy into healing an enemy? What could he possibly have gained from helping me that day? The question nagged at me every time I saw him. Eventually, I began seeking out their party, less to challenge my brother for the Tetsaiga, and more to study the human.   
  
It became a favorite game of mine. Watching him and puzzling over him. I began to be fascinated with him. He seemed to be a man full of contradictions, full of both life and death, joy and sorrow. It was something that I couldn't quite comprehend., something that constantly mesmerized me. Somehow, in time I managed to make the transition from being fascinated with him to wanting him.   
  
It took me a while to admit to myself that I wanted the monk. Wanted him badly. Wanted to take him apart, from the inside out. I needed to know how he thought, why he did everything that he did. I wanted to own him. I wanted him enough to ignore the part of me that shuddered at the thought of touching a human.  
  
However, even once I had admitted my desire to myself, I wouldn't have done anything about it, if it weren't for pure, blind chance. 


	2. dreams of death

FINALLY finished this. Please, forgive any continuity errors in this fic. I'm trying hard, really I am, but I'm operating under a knowledge handicap. ^^; If you note any characterization or major continuity errors (though I'm more worried about OOC mistakes) please email me with some tips on how to improve!  
  
I must thank both Rin (Sunfreak) and Xintriel for their help on this. You two are great betas, if only because you bolster my ego. Also, anyone who likes this pairing and -hasn't- read Sunfreak's "The Existance of You"... what are you WAITING for?   
  
... I think that's it. Enjoy, all ^^   
  
=+=+=+=  
  
The day, Miroku reflected as he dodged yet another barrage of blows, was not going as planned.  
  
He had planned on a pleasant evening with his comrades, staying in the most expensive home in town. He had planned on possibly spending some nice, quality time with Sango. What he had most certainly not planned on was being run out of town.  
  
Well, how was he supposed to know she was the prince's daughter?  
  
Inu-Yasha apparently expected him to be psychic, as he was currently attempting to beat him within an inch of his life. Thank god Kagome was there to keep him in check. Not that dealing with Kagome's scolding was much better, especially with Shippo nodding smugly along with all of her points.  
  
And of course there was Sango, who after hitting him once so hard his teeth had rattled, retreated into an offended silence that had him feeling quite dreadful.  
  
Sometimes, he wondered if anyone would ever understand, even Sango. Every day, he lived was one closer to being swallowed by Naraku's curse. And if he didn't fulfill his duty, his family would disappear with him. He didn't know why everyone considered him a pervert. He just took his duty to bear a child very seriously.   
  
... well, okay. Maybe he had one or two perverted moments. But he was a monk! He would never truly take advantage of a woman.  
  
"Miroku, are you even listening?" Kagome broke in on his thoughts, her tone even more annoyed than it had been at the beginning of her lecture.  
  
He winced and smiled sheepishly. "Yes, Lady Kagome. I'm terribly sorry, I... got carried away." He spread his hands, shrugging. "It won't happen again.  
  
"That's what you said last time, monk!" Inu-Yasha glared up at him from his twisted and painful looking position down by Kagome's feet. One too many "sits," Miroku presumed.  
  
"Yea!" piped up Shippo, not to be left behind in the conversation.   
  
A dull headache had blossomed between his eyes, and he reached up to rub at his nose slightly.  
  
"Does anyone else hear that?" Sango suddenly shushed the group, moments before the attack hit.  
  
=+=+=+=  
  
Miroku was running in earnest and wondering how in hell they hadn't anticipated the attack. Naraku had made another offensive against them, sending a horde of lesser demons and Kagura to torment them yet again. And of course, while Inu-Yasha was busy with Kagura and Miroku was all but taken out of the fight, due to the hellwasps in the air, the demons had separated the rest of the comrades, leaving him without Sango or Inu-Yasha's fighting abilities, and with hellwasps hovering in the air and quite a few crazed lesser demons on his trail, he was more-or-less the underdog.   
  
The whole running-away thing would have been, of course, easier if he hadn't had to flee up the mountain instead of into the town. He would have lost them a long time ago if his options weren't so limited. Rather easy to guess where your prey was going when you were chasing it up a mountain.   
  
Ducking into a shallow crevasse was the only remotely sneaky battle tactic that sprung to mind. Breathlessly, aching from bruised lungs and limbs long past burning and cramping, squeezed between sharp rock walls, Miroku waited for his pursuers to pass him, hoping desperately they had gotten lost enough in their bloodlust to have abandoned tracking him by smell.  
  
His luck held out. He counted the youkai as they passed him... one... two... six... More than he had hoped, but better than he had started out with. Cautiously he poked his head out of his hiding place, inching out of it. Quietly and quickly as possible he began picking his way down the narrow mountain trail, nervously glancing behind him.   
  
A sudden, loud rumble from just behind him startled the monk, and as his head snapped back towards the source of the sound, he felt his feet begin to slide beneath him. He had time for one panicked shout before his footing dropped out from beneath him, and he was sent hurtling down the sheer side into blackness.  
  
=+=+=+=  
  
Sesshomaru observed Naraku's latest failed battle from the side of the nearby mountain. A light breeze, carrying the stench of demon blood ruffled his tail and pulled at his hair.  
He supposed his half-brother and his friends had escaped unscathed again. A pity, that. Though he didn't agree with the other youkai's goals, he would not object to Naraku killing Inu-Yasha, provided, of course, that he receive the Tetsaiga.  
  
He turned to leave, disgusted with the whole affair and anxious to get back and check on Rin and Jaken - if she had gotten herself in trouble again, his servant would have hell to pay.   
  
Making his way down the mountain proved a touch more difficult than getting up it. Part of a higher trail had collapsed, strewing piles of rubble into his path. Sesshomaru froze, staring down at the rocks that blocked his way... and the body of the monk who traveled with Inu-Yasha. He lay apart from the rubble and his neck was turned at an awkward angle, pools of blood slowly drying on the rocky ground below it. He was obviously dead - probably having fallen when the trail collapsed.   
  
Sesshomaru stared at the human's body impassively for several moments, watching the silky dark hair ruffle in the breeze, the only movement left to it. Slowly, he came closer, kneeled down next to it, careful not to touch the human's blood. He rested his hand on the human's head lightly, frowning almost imperceptibly as he let his fingers slip through the monk's hair.  
  
Suddenly he stood up, half-turned away from the body, continuing down the mountain, one hand almost unconsciously resting on the hilt of his sword.   
  
He managed a couple steps away, before he paused. Letting his gaze fall back on the human, he frowned again, deeper this time, then went back, sinking down beside him again, awkwardly gathering the still-limp body into his arms.  
  
=+=+=+=  
  
Miroku yawned, stretched. Was it morning already? He groaned, flinging an arm over his face, trying desperately not to be awake. He had horrible dreams all night.  
  
He had dreamt that he had died. But that wasn't the bad part, not really. Dead was really kind of... peaceful. Serene, like there was nothing left to really worry him. No curse, no need to have children or fight, or do anything. Not even worry about his comrades. He had known, without quite knowing how, that everything was all right.  
  
The part that had him unaccountably angry was the part in his dream where he came back. It was as if he had been dragged back to his aching body by his hair, kicking and screaming the whole way.   
  
Not the sort of dreams that encouraged waking up and facing the world, really.  
  
Miroku snuggled down into the futon a bit more, sighing, keeping his eyes screwed shut. It was so damned comfortable. He was glad he had picked this palace. The lord was really quite...  
  
... wait a second. Miroku let his arm fall to his side, eyes snapping fully open as he stared at the ceiling, suddenly beginning to wake up and fully remember what had happened yesterday.   
  
They hadn't stayed in the town that night, they had been run out of it, thanks to his inability to choose the women he proposed children to wisely. And had fought Naraku's demons. Lots of demons. And he had...  
  
Funny, he couldn't remember exactly what happened. One moment, he was slipping away from the demons chasing him, the next - blackness. And blinding pain.   
  
He got up quickly, cursing under his breath and ignoring his various muscle aches and the pounding headache he seemed to have acquired, practically tripping to the door in his alarm. Where was everyone? Were they all alright? And most importantly, what the hell had happened?  
  
He was stopped short by a low chuckle, from the far corner of the room. It was a voice he hoped to god that he didn't recognize as he instinctively reached for the knot that held his air rip closed. 


	3. explorations

To smut, or not to smut. The eternal question. After -much- consideration, here's what I'll do. For now, I'm going to write this fic without smut. If there's interest, and if I've got time, I'll be writing the smut pieces as side chapters that will be posted only on my fanfic page. (http://www.katachresis.net/fanfiction) Also, for those of you who follow Silent Laughter... you can find chapter nine there, since I can't upload it here.  
  
Also, I've lowered the rating on this fic from R to PG13. Rinchan made fun of me. ^.~   
  
--==--  
  
Sesshomaru had been standing at the window, waiting for Miroku to wake. He had slept for quite a while, his body still not quite recovered from the shock of death.   
  
He watched as the human moved in a dazed panic, amused. He chuckled, hardly realizing it.  
  
The monk froze, then turned to face Sesshomaru, fingers quickly undoing the knot that held his power in check. Sesshomaru watched, a small smile still tugging at the corners of his lips.   
  
The cloth covering the air rip fell aside. And nothing happened.  
  
"Wh..." Miroku lowered his hand, turning it over to stare at it. Sesshomaru slowly walked towards him, catching his wrist in a painful grip.  
  
"The curse?" Miroku looked up at the youkai in confusion.  
  
Tracing a single claw up Miroku's palm from fingertip to wrist, Sesshomaru paused. "It is not gone - it still marks your line. However, curses do not last after death."  
  
The monk stared at his unblemished palm, eyes wide in his disbelief. He was shaking. "Death? I'm... dead?"  
  
Sesshomaru shook his head slightly. "Not precisely." He let go of Miroku's wrist, reaching up to lightly brush his fingers along the fragile skin of the human's cheek.  
  
Startled, Miroku looked back up, flinching away from the unexpected touch. "What am I then?"  
  
A pause, then a smile. "...mine." The word was practically a whisper as Sesshomaru pressed his lips to Miroku's, sealing away his muffled protest. Clawed fingers dragged their way through his hair, tangled slightly from sleep, plucking out the small tie that kept it back.  
  
Miroku's eyes went wide, his body still with shock as the youkai kissed him, gently but firmly, his tongue teasing at his lips. He reached up, to grab at Sesshomaru's shoulders, tried to push him away, and mostly tried to ignore the way his stomach dropped and his eyes wanted to slide shut.   
  
Sesshomaru's hands slid down his body, to his waist, lifting slightly. Miroku found himself being carried across the room, back to the futon, and though he tried to stop the youkai, to twist out of his arms, Sesshomaru's grip was too strong to be broken. Sesshomaru lowered him to the futon, catching his wrists and pulling them over his head in one taloned hand.  
  
Miroku lay still, glaring up at the youkai, tense, testing his grip, but finding it depressingly secure. Sesshomaru smiled predatorily, gold eyes flashing as he leaned down to claim Miroku's lips once again.   
  
Miroku closed his eyes, feeling his lips tingle slightly as the youkai scraped them with his teeth, coaxing them apart, burying his free hand in Miroku's hair.  
  
The youkai's body pressed against his, and Miroku shivered involuntarily, feeling the other man's warmth seep into him. Sesshomaru's tongue flicked into his mouth, and Miroku could feel himself hesitantly responding, closing his eyes. He felt himself being absorbed into the kiss, even though he tried not to, tried to focus on anything but the youkai's persuasive lips. It had been damned long since anyone had touched him in this way, and he couldn't help but relish it.  
  
He almost didn't notice Sesshomaru's fingers slipping down his neck, over his shoulder, down to his chest to tug at his robes. And by the time he did notice it, he had stopped caring.  
  
  
--==--  
  
Miroku lay, pulled up uncomfortably close against a dozing Sesshomaru, feeling vaguely ill and having trouble breathing past the suspiciously large knot in his throat. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the smell of the youkai, light and strangely reminiscent of plum blossoms. Trying not to feel the clawed fingertips that rested lightly on the back of his neck, tangled in sweat-soaked hair, or the shivers of pleasure that still ran through his body.  
  
He was, quite unfortunately, screwed.   
  
He was also exhausted. The youkai was a demanding lover. But the peace of dreaming eluded him.   
  
How the hell had he gotten himself into this? He tightened his hand experimentally, letting his fingertips brush across the extraordinarily sensitive skin there. He felt strangely unbalanced, as if he had lost an extremely important part of himself.  
  
Sesshomaru sighed, shifting in his sleep. Miroku looked up at him, watching the shadows play over his face. He was almost supernaturally beautiful. Sleeping like this he looked terribly innocent. Miroku lifted his hand, trailed his fingers along the crimson markings on the youkai's face.   
  
'Mine,' Sesshomaru had called him. Miroku turned that over in his mind, the jagged edges of the thought scraping at him, irritating him. What could the youkai possibly mean by that statement?  
  
He grimaced, remembering exactly where he was, naked in the youkai's arms. It was pretty obvious, at least in part, what Sesshomaru had meant. He had to wonder, however, if all the demon wanted was a plaything. If that was so, why was he chosen of all people?  
  
Miroku dropped his hand, tracing the thin, faint line of a scar that crossed Sesshomaru's chest. He remembered that wound. It was the one he had tended. It had been sickeningly large, when he had seen it even his battle-hardened stomach had dropped. It was a miracle that Sesshomaru had survived it. Even with his treatment and the youkai's healing powers, there remained tangible evidence of the cut, a slight jagged interruption of the smooth skin.   
  
There were other scars too, some recent, some thicker than the one his fingers rested on, some fading almost completely into the skin around them. The scars threaded around each other, weaving a story of battle, of hardship and pain.  
  
Miroku could feel Sesshomaru's heart beating under his fingers, slow and soothing. He pressed his whole hand to the youkai's chest, as if he could capture that heartbeat, take it inside himself. He could feel sleep pulling at him as he slid closer to Sesshomaru, pressing his lips in a faint kiss to his chest. He sighed, suddenly exhausted, closing his eyes and letting his head rest on Sesshomaru's arm, finally able to relax into sleep.   
  
--==--  
  
The next morning, Miroku woke up alone. Light shone into the room from the paper doorways, making the room glow warmly. Miroku sat up, blinking, for a moment forgetting what he was doing there. When he finally remembered, he felt the blush rising on his cheeks. Suddenly, he felt quite vulnerable. Glancing around the room, to make sure he was alone, he got up, looking for his clothes.  
  
They had been taken. Another robe had been left, folded neatly beside the futon. Miroku picked them up, silently appraising the light fabric. It was dyed a deep crimson that shimmered faintly, and trimming the sleeves was a pattern that he recognized, small sakura blossoms outlined in white. It was the mirror image of the patterns on Sesshomaru's robe, the colors inverted.   
  
It was a mark of ownership, subtle, but there nonetheless. He sighed, slipping the outfit on, the silk of the robe molding to his frame. He looked down at himself and grimaced at the way the fabric draped - it accentuated his already rather slight form. Irritably pushing his still-loose hair back, he reflected with an ironic smile, that if he was going to play the role of a concubine, he might as well look the part.  
  
Dressed, he cautiously poked his head out of the room, glancing around. The hall was suspiciously deserted, and the only sounds he had heard all morning were those he had made himself. He wandered through the halls, getting himself quite thoroughly lost and not caring one whit, intent instead on taking in his surroundings. Several times he whistled lowly between his teeth. He knew lords of the land that would absolutely kill for this place.  
  
It was simple but lush. One might even call it sparse if it weren't for the quality of the craftsmanship, the expense of the materials used in what simple furnishings and decorations there were. Several times Miroku had to resist the natural urge to slip a statue or other trinket into his pocket.  
  
His awed inspection of the palace was interrupted by the sound of running feet, a child's shriek - though whether it was of laughter or fright, he couldn't tell. He barely had time to register a whirl of blue robes, large chestnut eyes full of mischief, and short, unkempt hair, before the child ran straight into him, knocking him back a step. He blinked at the young girl who stared up at him from the ground in surprise.   
  
"Rin! You come back here right this instant!" the highly irritated voice grated along his nerves, and Miroku's eyes narrowed as Sesshomaru's servant lurched around the corner. 


	4. violence

Oh. Oh my god. I have to tell you all. Go to http://www.katachresis.net/fanfiction and check out the fanart section. (And if you haven't already, and follow the story, check out the ending to Silent Laughter!) Kat has graced me with three lovely pieces, two for SL and one for this fic, and has promised me more. She owns me so completely.   
  
This chapter is dedicated to Kat, because she is a wonderful help when it comes to plot, beta reading, and inspiration. Thank you love. Without you I don't know if this would have ever gotten written. j00 r0x0r!  
  
Other thanks go to Colin and Ophelia for catching my mistakes. ^^  
  
--==--  
  
Miroku reached down to help up the little girl at his feet even as he eyed Sesshomaru's ugly servant. An uncomfortable silence fell as the toad-demon watched him, eyes bugged out slightly. Or perhaps that was his normal expression.   
  
The little girl turned huge, innocent eyes up to him. "Who are you?"  
  
Miroku looked down at her, and was about to answer when the flunky cut him off.  
  
"He is Lord Sesshomaru's concubine." Jaken said it smugly, clutching his staff as he leered at Miroku.  
  
Miroku blinked up at that, and felt a slow blush forming on his cheeks. He narrowed his eyes to glare at Jaken, then turned back to Rin. "My name is Miroku. I am a traveling monk." He bowed to her, shooting one more venomous glare towards Jaken.  
  
She giggled happily, bowing back. "I'm Rin! Lord Sesshomaru is my guardian. Is he your guardian too?"  
  
Jaken snorted. "Rin, come along now. Lord Sesshomaru will be very angry if he finds you've been talking to this..." He groped for the correct word.  
  
"Human?" Miroku asked, smiling wryly.   
  
Jaken attempted something resembling a glare and pulled at Rin's sleeve, drawing her back down the hallway. "Whore," he tossed over his shoulder.   
  
Miroku stood still, clenching his jaw, fists balled at his sides as the two figures disappeared down the hallway, Rin still casting a curious glance back at him.   
  
Whore. The word rang in his head, calling forth a deep, hot rage. He only dimly registered his nails digging into his palms, or the fact that he was shaking. Whore indeed. He closed his eyes against the sudden rush of anger, tried to regulate his breathing. Centering himself, focusing, trying desperately to recall something of his training.   
  
Jaken's accusation disrupted his concentration, choking him, and tasting like blood and metal. He ran through meditation sutras and breathing exercises, but nothing helped. He lost the thread of everything he tried almost as soon as he began. Perhaps he had lost what had been left of his serenity when he had lost his life and his curse.   
  
He opened his eyes. Was that all he was now? The undead whore of a youkai lord? With a deep growl of rage and denial, he turned, throwing a vicious punch at the wall.  
  
It didn't connect. His wrist was caught in a firm grim, inches away from contacting, and he looked up in shock, into the hypnotic eyes of his captor.  
  
The youkai stared at him for a long time, just holding him there, hands hanging in the air. Miroku tried to pull away as his fingers began to tingle from the tight grip.   
  
"Let me go." His voice was flat, emotionless, but he knew that he was trembling, still breathing heavily. He wondered if his eyes were as wild as he felt.  
  
Sesshomaru frowned then, pulled the human slightly closer. "I had thought you would still be asleep." Taloned fingers brushed gently along the side of his face, slid through his hair. Miroku repressed a slight shiver as the nails scraped lightly along his neck.  
  
Sesshomaru sighed, leaning down to place a soft kiss to Miroku's lips. "Ah well. You should not be roaming the halls, however. I'll show you the parts of the palace that you are allowed." The youkai's free hand dropped to his shoulder, smoothing the fabric of the robe, considering it. "This suits you."  
  
Miroku growled, pushing Sesshomaru away violently. "Let me GO, you bastard." He ripped his wrist away with a disturbingly loud snap, ignoring the sudden pain that shot up his arm. Stepping back, he wrapped his arms around himself, glaring at the youkai.   
  
"I. am. Not. Your. Whore."   
  
The youkai's eyes narrowed and he stepped forward, slowly. Miroku stood his ground, still staring defiantly at him. Sesshomaru raised a hand to Miroku's shoulder, gripping it lightly. Miroku shrugged it away.  
  
"Don't touch me Sesshomaru. Ever again."  
  
He hardly saw the blur of Sesshomaru's fist, which sent him stumbling back to fall on the floor, but Miroku knew a vicious backhand when he experienced it. He groggily opened his eyes, shaking his throbbing head slightly to clear it.   
  
Sesshomaru leaned over him, grabbing him by a shoulder and pinning him down, seizing his chin in a rough grasp.  
"Do not presume to give me orders, human." The youkai's voice was smooth, controlled.  
  
Miroku growled, stilling. He looked to the side, avoiding eye contact, refusing to acknowledge Sesshomaru. Talons that were no longer gentle, but rather predatory slid along his cheek, down his throat, curving in to grab the front of his robe.   
  
He felt the sharp pain of one of them slicing through the skin at the base of his throat and he closed his eyes, clenching his teeth on the pain.   
  
Sesshomaru pulled Miroku's robes open, leaning down to lap at the blood that welled up on his neck, to suck lightly at the wound. Miroku trembled under him; breath shallow and rapid. Hands slid lazily down his ribs, brushing against sensitive spots, making him jump slightly.  
  
Warm lips, tinted with blood, covered his own. He offered no resistance, allowing Sesshomaru to claim him. Somehow, it suddenly all seemed as if it was happening to someone else. He was shivering, violently, and his head was spinning. His throat was burning, throbbing.  
  
Something was wrong, he thought dimly, and pulled weakly away, drawing a shaky breath. He tried to get his voice to work, to tell Sesshomaru that something was wrong, but his tongue felt thick and dry in his mouth, and his vision was fading.   
  
His last thought, before slipping into unconsciousness, was a particularly vile epithet.  
  
--==--  
  
Sango was, to put it mildly, worried about Miroku's absence. As were Kagome and Shippo. Inu-Yasha was too, but he tried to pretend as if everything was normal. It had, granted, only been a day and a half, but they all knew something was wrong.   
  
They had searched for some sign of what had happened to him, without much luck. They had tracked him up the mountain, but the trail grew muddled, unreadable. His scent mixed with youkai blood, and even Inu-Yasha couldn't follow it after a time.   
  
Sango sighed, kicking a rock, watching it tumble down the sheer face of the mountain. The path was blocked by a substantial rockslide, and she would have to be very careful climbing around it, to not cause another one. Sighing, she adjusted her boomerang, and began her search for stable footing.  
  
When she finally reached the other side, she was panting, bruised, and scraped. She wiped her forehead with her sleeve, sighing, and surveying her surroundings.   
  
It was then that she saw it. A large pool of blood, and a broken string of achingly familiar prayer beads.   
  
Sango dropped to her knees beside it, hardly believing what she saw, her throat tightening. She picked the beads up, examining them. They were stained in blood. She tightened her hand around them, until her knuckles turned white, and stood up, making her way back over the rocks and down the trail as if in a dream.  
  
When she reached their camp, Inu-Yasha, Kagome, and Shippo were already there. They looked up at her expectantly, and she sank down onto the ground next to Kagome, letting her hand open, letting the beads spill out onto the ground in front of her.  
  
There was a moment of stunned silence, and a muffled curse from Inu-Yasha. Kagome reached out, running her fingers over the beads, then caught Sango's hands.   
  
"Sango? Did you find him?" Her voice was urgent, worried.   
  
Sango looked at her, feeling her eyes burn dryly. She shook her head, nodding towards the beads. "This is all I found. And blood... a lot of blood."  
  
Kagome's hands flew to her mouth, and Sango could see her eyes grow moist. "No... it can't be. He can't be dea..." her voice trailed off, and she gathered a sniffling, strangely quiet Shippo in her arms.  
  
Inu-Yasha knelt down in front of them, picking up the prayer beads, and snorting at Kagome. "What are you crying about, woman?" He turned to Sango. "There was no body, right?"  
  
Sango shook her head. "None. But there was also no sign of the void having been open - and without his prayer beads..."  
  
Inu-Yasha shrugged. "Feh." He stood up, slipping the beads into his pocket. "That perverted monk wouldn't die so easy."  
  
Kagome sniffled, looked up at him. "But what if?"  
  
Inu-Yasha cut her off with a growl. "He's alive, stupid." He paused then, looking towards Sango. "And we'll find him." 


	5. the calm

Announcement: I've started a new SxM. (yes, I'm terribly lame XD) you can currently find it under the name "Shared History." Also... I'm thinking of starting an ML to keep people updated. If any of you are interested, let me know, okay?  
  
Thanks again go to Kat and Rin for inspiration and beta services ^^ Also, sorry for how short that last scene is. x.x;   
  
--==--  
  
Sesshomaru stared at the human. He looked so frail lying on the futon, his dark hair falling around his face, his pale skin glistening with moisture. He tossed his head slightly, moaning softly.  
  
When Miroku had defied him like that, he had been so angry had forgotten all about the poison in his talons and it's affect on humans. He had forgotten to play gently with his toy, and had almost killed him. Again. Cursing himself, he turned his attention onto the human's wrist. It had swollen quite badly and was bruising slightly. It wasn't broken, thankfully, just rather severely sprained.   
  
He wrapped it firmly, growling to himself. Why was he playing nursemaid to a human? The whole situation was entirely ridiculous. He glared viciously at the human, as he finished, tossing his hair out of his face irritably.   
  
Sesshomaru lay down next to the monk, propping his head up on one arm, studying his captive, who was still lovely, even while ill.   
  
Really, it was foolish of him to choose a human instead of a lesser youkai for a concubine. After all, youkai were easily more beautiful than humans. And hardier. They were able to withstand much more than a human would.  
  
Humans broke so easily, it really wasn't worth it. One had to restrain their strength and abilities constantly to keep from injuring them. And to add to that, as the monk's hysterical outburst earlier had proven, they were entirely too emotionally volatile.   
  
Miroku arched in his sleep a little, mouth opening in a soft cry, and Sesshomaru found himself caught by the curve of his throat, the was the skin seemed to jump with his pulse. He reached out to press his fingers to that movement, feel the human's life flutter under his fingers.   
  
Life he had returned to the human, though he still wasn't sure why.   
  
He let his fingers slide down to the small cut at the base of Miroku's throat. It was red, inflamed. Nothing really, just a tiny slice in the human's skin, with smooth, rounded edges, burned slightly by the acid of his poison. He remembered how he had pressed his lips to it, tasted of the hot blood that flowed out.   
  
Really, the human had been very lucky. He had inadvertently removed most of the poison with that action. What he was feeling now was just the barest effects of it.   
  
Sesshomaru dropped his hand to the neckline of the robes, running the thin fabric through his fingers, considering them. He caught himself wondering idly what the human thought of his gift.   
  
He was suddenly aware of how tired he was. It had been a very long day - making sure that his territory was secure, getting rid of the last few lesser youkai that Naraku had loosed on the countryside. He seethed at that. The damned upstart was getting entirely too sure of himself, intruding upon his territory like that. Soon, he would have to teach that inferior excuse for a youkai a lesson.   
  
After he slept a little, of course. He considered his captive, who was still flushed with fever, but not nearly as ill-looking as he had been just a few minutes ago. He would probably be fine in a few hours, if a little weak. It would be safe to leave him here, to go back to his own chambers and rest.  
  
Why did he find that a reassuring thought? Sighing, he draped his arm around the human's waist, pulling him closer, burying his face in the nook of his neck and closing his eyes. He inhaled deeply, tasting the human's scent. It wasn't one he was used to on either demon or human - incense and ice and blood. It was strangely soothing. He found himself relaxing into the pleasant warmth of the human.   
  
Miroku moaned slightly in his sleep, tossed his head, and rolled into Sesshomaru, catching him in a careless, loose embrace. Sesshomaru stiffened slightly, eyes opening slightly. After a couple of moments, he sighed, leaning into the human's warmth. It felt so alien, to be held; yet somehow, it was... nice.   
  
Almost too faintly to be heard, the monk breathed an all-too-familiar name. Sesshomaru's eyes flew open in shock. What on earth? Why was the human dreaming of his hanyou brother?   
  
Then Sesshomaru felt the hand sliding up his leg to firmly curve around his backside. His eyes widened. The hand tightened slightly. His first reaction was, of course, of a violent nature. But he didn't give reign to it. Instead, he just lay there, as the human's hand slowly slid over his body, ran up his spine, and tugged at his clothes.  
  
He hadn't even dreamed that his brother was having a relationship with the monk. After all, he had his human bitch whining after him incessantly. What would he need for such a dalliance?  
  
He frowned, and slowly, carefully brought his hand up to the human's arm, pushing the other away and onto his back. He reached up to catch the other's wrists and carefully pulled them over his head, trying not to jar the injured one. He stared down at the monk, whose loose hair and parted lips served to make him entirely too beautiful.   
  
Sesshomaru could imagine only too well why Inuyasha would encourage such a relationship. And that only served to anger him, in a deep, unsettling way. Suddenly, he wanted to hurt his brother, to kill him. Not for his thrice-damned sword, but because the bastard had dared touch something the hanyou had claimed that was his.  
  
His grip on the human tightened slightly. ...His.   
  
Finally, he sighed, laying down next to the other man and wrapping an arm around him. The monk radiated heat, and it only intensified his exhaustion. He sighed, letting his eyes drift closed.  
  
He'd sleep here tonight... just to make sure Miroku didn't try anything stupid when he finally woke up.  
  
--==--  
  
Miroku's head ached. This was perhaps, the only reason he woke up at all. Sleep still pulled at him, whispered seductive lullabies in the back of his mind. But of course, the pounding headache drowned them out, and he reluctantly opened his eyes. The light in the room pierced into his very skull, and he slammed his lids shut with a groan.  
  
It was then that he noticed the warm body snuggled up to his side, and he opened his eyes again, slowly this time.   
  
Sesshomaru was asleep on his shoulder, hair in disarray and face flushed. An arm was flung carelessly around his waist. He reached up to smooth the youkai's hair back, and stopped at the sudden pain in his wrist. He held it up, blinking at how neatly bandaged it was. He sighed, and carefully, he dropped his hand to rest on Sesshomaru's back.  
  
He was well and truly stuck here. He closed his eyes, wishing his head would leave him alone long enough for him to drop back into sleep. God, he wanted to forget everything that happened. He wanted to be back up on that mountain, squished in between rock walls and waiting breathlessly for the coast to be clear.  
  
A small noise to his right made him crack an eye open, and he jumped slightly as amused, curious brown eyes filled his vision. 


	6. in the morning

Dedicated to Kat. Smile, love, I was thinking of you as I wrote this. :3 I'm sure you'll see why. ^.~  
  
Announcements: I've got a new one-shot fic that you can only find on my webpage (http://www.katachresis.net/fanfiction) under the name "Sunset Effect," as well as a mailing list for those of you who were interested, which can be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/katachresis.   
  
Thanks to Ophelia and Xin for the beta-services ^^ And thanks to all who read and review! You make me happy and sparkly!  
  
--==--  
  
"Shhhhh!" The girl, Rin, held her finger to her lips, suppressing a giggle. "Don't wake him up!"  
  
Miroku stared up at her, feeling himself smile in spite of himself. The child had a contagious grin. He nodded, then looked down at Sesshomaru, and back up to her. She pursed her lips thoughtfully for a second, then smiled again, deviously.   
  
Rin tiptoed down to the foot of the futon, and pulled the covers up slightly, exposing her guardian's feet. She caught her lip between her teeth, and reached down to lightly tickle his feet.  
  
Miroku watched, incredulous, as the youkai muttered something in his sleep and kicked his feet slightly, rolling to his back. He sat up as Sesshomaru's arm slid off of him, and slid cautiously out of the futon. Rin giggled softly, and dashed silently to the door. Glancing at Sesshomaru, Miroku followed her.  
  
The little girl caught him by the hand as he met her outside the door, pulling him through the palace expertly, giggling the whole while, and shushing him every time he tried to ask her where they were going.  
  
Finally, she opened a door that lead outside, and sighed happily they walked out. It was a large garden, which Miroku found surprising. Did demons even keep gardens? Or palaces, for that matter? Who even took care of this place?   
  
Rin lead them to the side of a small pond, overhung by graceful cherry trees, and flung herself down on the ground to stare up through the green leaves.   
  
Miroku sunk to the ground next to her. It felt good to be outside. He looked up at the tree, wondering how it would look when it had blossoms on it. "So... can I ask you questions now?"  
  
She looked at him and hummed under her breath, then nodded. "If you ask the right ones, yes!"  
  
"Fair enough. Where's your keeper?"  
  
She pointed at him triumphantly. "Right here!"  
  
Miroku laughed at that, shaking his head. "No, silly. Your other one, the ugly one."  
Rin winked conspiratorially. "Rin didn't wake him up either. He's no fun, he never lets Rin play." She pouted. "He's mean. And he smells funny too."  
  
"Let me guess. Mud puddles?"   
  
The girl just flushed slightly and nodded.  
  
"I bet Sesshomaru wasn't too happy with that one either."   
  
"It's not faaaair!" she wailed. "They never let Rin have any fun!"  
  
He chuckled and reached over to tousle her hair. "Well, I wouldn't mind, but I think if I let you, I'd get into trouble too."  
  
Rin frowned, thinking about it for a second. "Miroku-sama? What's a..." She paused, searching the word. "a... concubine?"  
  
Miroku coughed, blushing. "I..."  
  
"Because Sesshomaru-sama is kind of my new daddy, so does that make you my new mommy?" She looked up at him, the picture of innocence.  
  
Feeling vaguely horrified he stammered out the only response that came to mind. "B..but... I'm a guy. I can't be a mommy."  
  
Rin looked crestfallen, and Miroku winced. "Don't worry. I may not be your new mommy, but I can be... something else!"  
  
She blinked at him through tear-blurred eyes. "What?"  
  
"I... could... uh... be your uncle?" He gave her a weak smile.  
  
She launched himself into his arms before he could even register that dazzling look of relief and joy that broke out on her face.   
  
He wrapped his arms around her, smiling softly.  
  
--==--  
  
Sesshomaru stood next to one of the trees in the garden and watched Rin and Miroku, frowning.   
  
Why was Jaken not there? He had given explicit orders to his servant to keep his eye on Rin at all times. If the priest hadn't been there, he would have already dragged her back into the keep with a lecture.  
  
That, of course, was another sore point. How had the human managed to get out of the room - never mind out of the bed - without him noticing? And hadn't he made it perfectly clear that he was to stay in the room?  
  
He wasn't used to having his authority ignored, and it angered him deeply. They were making everything so terribly difficult, questioning him at every turn when they should both be thanking him for saving their worthless lives. He growled, noticing that he had carved deep grooves into the tree's bark with his talons.   
  
This couldn't continue. He wouldn't allow it.   
  
--==--  
  
"But -why- would Sesshomaru be involved with Miroku of all people?" Kagome frowned as she juggled Shippo, her schoolbag, and her bows and arrows, while trying to piece things together.  
  
Inuyasha and the group had finally found the trail, though it was relatively cold. Inuyasha had immediately picked up his brother's scent, and after following it for a while, identified Miroku's also.  
  
"Feh. Hell if I know, woman." Inuyasha rolled his eyes, sniffing at the air.  
  
"Kagome has a point, Inuyasha. Don't you want to know what we're getting ourselves into?" Sango raised an eyebrow at Inuyasha.  
  
"I don't care! It doesn't matter what my asshole of a brother wants, I can kick his ass no matter what!"  
  
Kagome, Sango, and Shippo all rolled their eyes.  
  
Inuyasha hadn't told them yet that Miroku's smell was different, that it had changed and that was why he had trouble locating it in the first place. He didn't know how to, and honestly, he was scared.   
  
He could be slow, but he wasn't stupid, and he had more-or-less put all the clues together. Miroku -had- died in the rockslide up on the mountain. And then Sesshomaru must have found his body and brought him back to life with the Tensaiga. The only thing he didn't know was why his brother would have done something like that. It constantly nagged at him, and was his only doubt.   
  
Perhaps he should tell them, if only to prepare them. He didn't want Sango to be confronted with another dead loved one out to kill her. Perhaps he should have sent them back to the village.   
  
Yea right, like they would have listened to that anyway. Inuyasha kicked himself mentally.  
  
He was worrying far too much. Sesshomaru didn't rely on brainwashed slaves to do his dirty work, he was fonder of doing it himself. It was the one and only thing he could say that was halfway decent about his half-brother. Sesshomaru usually fought with a modicum of honor.   
  
God, he didn't know quite what to do. He shot a carefully controlled glance over towards Sango. She hid it well, but if you knew what you were looking for, she seemed so terribly fragile. The monk meant more to her than she would admit.   
  
And Kagome was worried too, so worried that she hadn't 'sat' him in days, or yelled at him for keeping her from playing at that stupid crazy 'homework' she had to do, or one of those annoying 'tests' she had to take. Not that he missed the pain, mind you, but it was strange, having her so subdued.   
  
Who was he kidding? He really wanted to hug her, to comfort her and tell her that it would be okay, that everything would be back to normal. He just wanted things to -be- back to normal.  
  
He just sincerely hoped that that was still a possibility. 


	7. spending time together

I wasn't going to go as far as I did in this chapter. I was going to make you all suffer. But I got death threats from my betas, all of whom, on normal occasions, love me very much and would never wish harm upon me.   
  
So, enjoy the fruits of their threats. *laughs* Though this update is -quite- a bit later than I planned it to be. *sighs, winces* Sorry everyone~ Finals and work ate my time up. ^^; Props to Ophelia and Colin for helping proofread this. ^^  
  
Also, for anyone who's interested, A while ago I posted a new one-shot smutfic up on my page. You can find it under the name "Down by the Water." It's a bit of a departure for me... the main pairing is not SxM, but rather NxS. *grins* I hope you all enjoy!  
  
I swear I'll update SH very, very soon. Sorry again! *x.x*;;;  
  
--==--  
  
Miroku looked up from Rin to the impassive face of Sesshomaru. He loosened his grip on the girl, and she looked behind her, eyes going wide.  
  
"Rin. Go inside to Jaken, and wait for me there." The youkai's voice was cold, firm. Miroku could feel her tense as she pulled away from his arms, bowing her head in silent acceptance before she ran back to the palace.  
  
Miroku stood up, crossing his arms, as Sesshomaru watched the young girl make her way back to the palace. Finally, he turned his attention back to the monk, narrowing his eyes slightly.  
  
"Perhaps you did not understand me when I told you that you were not to leave the palace." His voice was dangerously soft and cold.  
  
Miroku smiled pleasantly. He was not about to let the youkai scare him. "Oh, I understood perfectly. I just chose not to listen."  
  
Sesshomaru blinked, momentarily off balance, and Miroku wasted no time in pressing his advantage.  
  
"Really, what's the problem? I mean, did I try to hurt you? I could have you know, while you were sleeping, though I doubt I would have gotten far. Or maybe I tried to run away?"  
Sesshomaru glared at him. "That isn't the point, human."  
  
"Oh? What is the point then? Did I hurt Rin at all? Or endanger her?" Miroku leaned his head to the side, smiling faintly.  
  
If it was possible, Sesshomaru's glare got icier. "Do not question my orders."  
  
"Wait, what gives you the right to issue orders to me in the first place?" Now, they got to the crux of the problem.  
  
"I brought you back." Miroku concealed a smile. Of course, he'd play that card, it was the only one he really had.   
  
He walked past Sesshomaru, down to the edge of the pond, staring out over its motionless surface. "And don't think that I'm not grateful for that, but just because you restored my life, it doesn't mean that you own me. Don't you understand? Rin and I... we're not your possessions, we're people."  
  
"You're humans. You're inferior beings."  
  
"Alright, granted, we're not as strong as you, and I suppose you could call that an inferiority. But really, what was the point of giving me my life back if you don't expect me to live it?" He reached down with his good hand, scooping up a nice handful of the mud.  
  
"You know what you need, Sesshomaru? You need to learn to live a little."   
  
Quickly, he spun, flinging the watery mud towards the demon, smiling in satisfaction as it spattered all over the front of the demon's white kimono.  
  
Sesshomaru looked down, slowly, eyes widening in shock. Miroku reflected that now would probably be an appropriate time to run. Instead he leaned down to scoop up some more mud, standing and smiling indolently at the demon.  
  
When Sesshomaru growled and narrowed his eyes in rage, moving forward to seize him by the neck, he was ready, reaching up to rub the mud into the youkai's perfect hair. The demon raised his hands to his hair in shock.  
  
Miroku grinned. Perfect. He quickly wrapped his arms around Sesshomaru's waist, taking advantage of the youkai's stunned state to kiss him softly, nibbling at his lower lip before he deepened the kiss.  
  
Sesshomaru's hands closed over his shoulders, as if to push him away, but Miroku leaned into him more, rubbing his body against the youkai's, until the other man groaned slightly into his mouth, kissing him back.   
  
He sighed happily. This was nice, nicer than it probably should have been, all things considered. But kissing was by far preferable to being strangled. Kissing someone who was incredibly attractive, discounting the fact that he was a rather unstable demon lord, was even better.  
  
And hell, since he had to play the role of the concubine for now, he might as well enjoy it. Of course, that meant that a few things had to change, but he had complete confidence in his abilities to convince Sesshomaru that these changes would be a good thing.   
  
He pulled away after a few head-spinning minutes, eyes drifting open lazily. "Hey... is there a hot spring nearby?"  
  
Sesshomaru frowned. "What?" His voice was low and slightly breathless. Miroku smiled. It was good to see he hadn't lost his touch.  
  
"Well, it's just that we're awfully dirty, and cleaning that mud out of your hair will be a bitch. Maybe we should... take a bath?" He leaned in to flick his tongue over the curve of the youkai's ear suggestively.  
  
Sesshomaru was silent for several seconds. Then slowly, he nodded.  
  
--==--  
  
Sesshomaru's hair was amazing. Miroku smiled happily to himself as he ran his hands through it, untangling it idly. The mud -had- taken forever to wash out, but less because it was really a difficult process, and more because they had kept getting distracted.  
  
The youkai leaned against him, eyes half-closed, breathing slowly, almost completely relaxed, and Miroku nuzzled into his hair a bit, inhaling deeply. He didn't think he'd ever get over the fact that the demon lord Sesshomaru smelled like plum blossoms.   
  
Or how quickly his emotions changed. He had been in a near-rage this morning, and now... he was positively docile. So far, they had spent almost the whole day together. And it had been... pleasant. Fun, even.  
  
It made him look forward to tomorrow.  
  
Which, in and of itself, was amazing. A day ago, he had wanted nothing more than to be free of this, and now he was actually enjoying it. Why?  
  
After a moment of lazily groping after the answer, it came to him. Rin.   
  
The child was so happy here. Perhaps she chafed slightly under Sesshomaru's restrictive rules, but she clearly thought the world of him. And she wasn't truly mistreated in any way that he had seen.  
  
Of course she wasn't the entire reason, but she was a big part of it. Really, it was impossible to feel threatened around the youkai when he saw how well he treated the child.  
  
He sighed, closing his eyes and resting his head against Sesshomaru's. He didn't understand it of course. Why was Sesshomaru doing this? He constantly professed to hate humans, so what purpose did it serve for him, raising humans from the dead and taking them into his home and his life? It was eerie.  
  
It was almost as if he was creating a family.  
  
Miroku smiled slightly at that thought and suppressed a chuckle wondering what the demon would say to it. Nothing good, he was sure, but still it was an interesting thought.  
  
It was also a thought that could wait. It was getting dark, the gold-green sunlight of the forest being replaced by shadow, and the air was starting to cool off. He leaned down to press a light kiss right above Sesshomaru's ear.  
  
"Perhaps we should be getting back?"  
  
The demon shifted in his arms, fluidly, muttering something unintelligible under his breath and cracking open an eye.  
  
"It's getting late." Miroku smiled at the disheveled Sesshomaru, reflecting on how pretty he was, all mussed and eyes heavy with sleep. Positively pounceable.  
  
He ruthlessly smacked that thought down. That way lay sleeping on the forest floor all night, and he was too addicted to comfort to sacrifice it to his impatient desire. He could make Sesshomaru writhe (again) when they got back to the palace.   
  
Sesshomaru slid off of him, standing up gracefully, then reached down to help Miroku to his feet. He could feel the youkai's strength - potentially dangerous, but tempered with gentleness.   
  
He smiled at Sesshomaru in the dying light, and somehow knew that everything would turn out right. 


	8. hanyounapping!

omg, I'm so sorry XD This is unforgivably late. I've been on a road trip for a couple weeks, it's my only excuse. And it's a rather pathetic one at that, since I had computer access most of that time. I hope you all will forgive me! ;o;  
  
...especially since this chapter is going to be a touch short. A lot happens? ^^; We get... plot! :o And the next chapter is going to rock, I swear.   
  
Thanks to Colin, Xin, and Tdei for betaing ^^  
  
--==--  
  
It was the night of the new moon.  
  
Of course it had snuck up on him, like it always did. Inuyasha cursed to himself. And they were so close to Sesshomaru. Rotten timing, as per usual.  
  
Luckily, Kagome hadn't put up a fight about his leaving the camp this night. Granted, she hadn't actually been there when he slipped away, she had been gathering firewood with Shippo. Sango, of course, had politely informed him that he was a moron, among other things.   
  
He absently rubbed at a tender lump on his head. Sango's lectures tended to get a bit physical. He stared up at the stars. Glared at them. They always shone so bright on these nights, twinkling happily. Mocking him.  
  
Right, so he was projecting. Still, it irritated him. They were so close, really on the verge of being too close. He couldn't afford this, not tonight. He could smell his brother all over the landscape this morning.   
  
Not a trace of Miroku, however. Sesshomaru, Jaken, even sometimes the human girl, (whose presence baffled him almost as much as Sesshomaru's sudden interest in the priest.) but no Miroku.  
  
And under that, there was another faint scent that made his blood run cold. Naraku.  
  
He breathed deeply, testing the air with his dulled human senses. He couldn't sense a thing anymore, and the air felt thick, stale. Glancing around him, he could see little more than thick shadows that twisted into vaguely threatening forms.  
  
Then there came a rustling, a soft sigh of leaves brushing each other, and his heart slammed into his chest. He sat up, peering around him.  
  
Nothing was there but darkness. It was the breeze sending him into a blind fear. Again. He mentally kicked himself, cursing under his breath. Nights like this were always spent on the knife-edge of panic.   
  
He sighed, wrapping his arms around himself and trying to calm his hyperactive imagination. What was it that the monk did? He had mentioned (after a good amount of mocking from Inuyasha) that it was good for calming one's self.   
  
After a moment of thought, Inuyasha shifted, trying to mimic what he remembered, feeling vaguely foolish. Miroku had crossed his legs like this... and held his hands so... and sat up straight. He closed his eyes.  
  
Several minutes ticked by as Inuyasha attempted to clear his mind. Finally, he cracked open an eye.  
  
Feh. Stupid Miroku. This wasn't working at all.   
  
And then he heard the loud crack of a stick breaking, directly behind him. He gasped, head whipping around, cursing at his slow reactions.  
  
Pain blossomed in his skull as the world went dark.  
  
--==--  
  
Only the barest bit of starlight filtered into the room, just bright enough for Sesshomaru to make out Miroku's profile. Though the human slept, sprawled across his chest, he wasn't tired. Instead, he stared up at nothing, just listening to the nighttime sounds.   
  
First, of course, was the monk and his snoring. Were all humans this noisy about sleeping? It was amazing how much noise he could produce. He lifted a hand to press against Miroku's back, feeling the vibration and the steady rise and fall of his body.  
  
If he concentrated past the snores, he could hear the hum of insects outside, and the occasional birdcall and animal moving through the forest. It was a quiet night. Yet something about it was pricking his senses.  
  
Nothing was obviously out of place. Whatever it was, it could damn well wait. Sesshomaru closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of the body pressed up against him. He sighed, trying to will himself asleep.   
  
Right on the verge of finally drifting off, he figured it out. He opened his eyes, quickly disentangling himself from his bedmate and rising to dress quickly.   
  
It was a familiar aura, just on the verge of his territory, just barely touching his defenses. He probably wouldn't have caught it if it hadn't moved.  
  
Inuyasha.   
  
--==--  
  
Inuyasha snarled, hurling himself against the barred door for what had to be the hundredth time. The door didn't even shake when he hit it.  
  
Stupid, stupid, -stupid-. Panting with wasted effort, he leaned against the stubbornly resolute door. How could he let this happen? He slid down it, wrapping his arms around his knees, shaking in rage. And quite possibly cold. Definitely not fear though. Never. He fixed his eyes on the opposite wall.   
  
He was in a small cell, mostly rock except for the door, which was thick wood reinforced with bands of metal. No way to escape, especially not while he was still human.   
  
Naraku. He growled to himself. He should have known, when the bastard's stench had carpeted the land. He should have taken better precautions. This was all his stupid fault.  
  
The only consolation he had was that the bastard hadn't gotten Kagome and the others, as far as he knew.  
  
Was it a new detachment? He hadn't recognized what he had seen of his captor, and in his current state, couldn't even smell them. It was unnerving.   
  
A bit of doubt set in. What if it wasn't Naraku? Other than sensing the other had been around sometime recently, he didn't have any concrete evidence. It was possible. But if it wasn't Naraku, who was it?   
  
Briefly, he considered Sesshomaru. But no, his brother wouldn't keep him hostage like this. Who else? Inuyasha tried to think. He didn't think he had that many enemies. Especially not ones who would kidnap him instead of killing him outright.  
  
It was almost as if they really didn't care about him. As if they were using him for bait of some kind...  
  
But no matter who they were or what they wanted, they obviously weren't overly concerned with hurting him. He felt gingerly at the lump on his head, hissing in pain. Humans were so damn fragile. He pulled his hand away, cursing slightly. He was still bleeding too.  
  
Goddamnit. Morning had to be in just a few hours. It had to be.   
  
He laid his head down on his arms. It spun and throbbed with the movement, and suddenly he realized how tired he was. 


	9. battleplans

Another long wait between updates, but as Colin sayeth... the plot engorges. And sad-ish news... we're in the final run, kiddies, but I promise it'll be fun. ^^ I've got 2-3 more chapters planned out, so don't despair yet! Also, there's a multipart waiting in the wings for the finish, that'll have lots of smut, and lots of NxM and SxM.  
  
Beta-credit goes, of course, to Colin and tdei, both of whom rock mah socks. Thanks loves!  
  
--==--  
  
Miroku peered through the darkness, trying to make out what was in front of him. Damn moonless nights. He had already tripped twice and run into rather solid trees numerous times.   
  
Where the hell had that youkai gone to? He chewed on his lip, unable to shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong. He couldn't detect anything specific, just this vague threatening feeling.   
  
Of course, that could be due the fact that he was -so- dead once Sesshomaru found out that he was sneaking out to skulk through the forest in the middle of the night, he reflected, grinning to himself.   
  
But hey, he had been getting cold. And, in his defense, he had checked the palace and the grounds for Sesshomaru before he wandered out into the forest. Miroku was secure in the knowledge that he could blame it squarely on Sesshomaru. It was the youkai's fault, not his!  
  
Plus, he just had a habit of pushing his luck.   
  
He squinted. Was that a bit of light ahead? Or were his eyes playing tricks on him? He cautiously walked towards it, gaining a few more bruises and shallow scratches. Finally, he could make out a small fire, with several very familiar silhouettes gathered around it.   
  
Ah, so that's where Sesshomaru disappeared to. He grimaced. He knew something like this had to be up. Bastard could have least invited Miroku to witness the tasty death of his friends.   
  
Of course, the youkai probably guessed (rightly so) that Miroku would have something negative to say about that. Leaning down to pick up a rather large rock, he wondered if he could sneak up on Sesshomaru before the youkai noticed him.  
  
After all, he had already died once. Might as well risk it again to save two of the most beautiful women he had ever had the pleasure of knowing.  
  
He crept from tree to tree, trying to stay out of sight, and as quiet as possible.  
  
--==--  
  
Sesshomaru stared at the girl in front of him, who bit her lip with nerves, but held her bow steady. Great. His brother's bitch was here. Along with all the rest of the riff-raff he had befriended. His eyes narrowed, taking in the wary stances of the other woman and the kitsune.   
  
They were obviously here for the priest. But where was his mutt of a brother? He flexed his claws, plans running idly through his head. The bitch had to be taken first, certainly, then the exterminator. The little brat shouldn't present a problem. None of them should, really.  
  
It would be easy enough. Unless his brother decided to make things difficult.  
  
There was a soft distinct snap of a twig behind him, then a low curse and a crash. The bitch gasped, and her bow wavered as Sesshomaru spun around, claws ready to rip his brother to shreds.   
  
"Am I interrupting something?" Rubbing his head, Miroku smiled up wryly from his position, sprawled out on the ground.   
  
The humans gave out identical, irritatingly feminine, high-pitched screeches. "Miroku!"   
  
He looked a mess, Sesshomaru noted with a frown. Covered in dirt and sticks and scratches, he looked as if he had gotten in a fight with every tree on the way.  
  
Damnit, what was the human doing here anyway? Momentary concern gave way to a smoldering anger. Hadn't he been entirely clear....  
  
A slight tug cut into his train of thought, and he looked down, blinking. A small demon had his tiny claws wrapped around Sesshomaru's pantleg. He looked down at it, disgust curling his lip.  
  
Ugh, a rat demon. One that looked vaguely familiar too, though he couldn't place it. He barely noticed the two girls running past him to the monk.   
  
"What is it?" he snarled, causing the servant to squeak in fright.  
  
"M...my master." It gulped nervously, and Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "I h- have an u- urgent message f- from him."  
  
Several seconds passed by as Sesshomaru stared menacingly at the servant, who was shaking with fear. "... Are you going to deliver this message, or just stand there?" He finally asked, voice chillingly quiet.  
  
Trembling so hard each word was practically incomprehensible, the servant managed to get his message out. Sesshomaru blinked, as the rat finished and scurried away with a squeal.   
  
He looked up at Miroku, who was shakily getting to his feet with the help of one of the two girls, noting that his hand was sliding stealthily down her back. The other still had her bow and arrow trained on him, a determined set to her chin. He narrowed his eyes, than cleared his throat.  
  
"Miroku, it appears that you've been kidnapped."  
  
The monk froze with his hand inches away from the exterminator's backside. "Say what?"  
  
--==--  
  
His plan was working out perfectly. The demon smiled to himself, tracking a line over the his reflection in the small mirror he held.  
  
His stunningly beautiful face wavered, to be replaced with the image of his human prisoner. He seemed to have calmed down significantly, and was sitting in the middle of the cell, watching the door with narrowed eyes.   
  
Truly a beautiful specimen, if one had a taste for humans. His long black hair was magnificent, his body strong and lean, and he possessed a rare spirit. He chuckled. A fine possession for anyone. Too bad the human had to serve other, more important purposes. It would have been a fine match for him.  
  
Still, it confused him no end. What was Sesshomaru up to? He had never professed a fondness for humans, and this seemed completely out of character for him. It nagged at him.   
  
He toyed with the ends of his hair, combing it with his claws, frowning. It didn't matter, did it? The youkai lord obviously had a deep interest in him, if he was keeping him. And quite well, the human had no obvious injuries, save for the lump and small cut, hidden by his hair.   
  
Sesshomaru must care deeply for this human, a weakness that he planned to exploit fully. He couldn't fail. He had set it up so perfectly. Really, it was a bit of genius.  
  
A quiet scratching noise alerted him to his servant's return.  
  
"My lord..." The nervous, thin voice grated over his ears. He should really look for a better servant. This one was practically useless.  
  
He turned a bored look at the rat-demon. "I trust you delivered your message, Yogore?"  
  
A frantic nod, and a squeak. "Yes, Kageki-sama!"  
  
"Wonderful." He smiled, coldly. "We should ready ourselves for my cousin's visit then."  
  
--==--  
  
"We can't just leave him!" Miroku looked horrified, as he petted a bristling Shippo, who was glaring bloody murder at Sesshomaru.  
  
"Why not?" Sesshomaru smiled viciously. "Rather amusing. And it gets him out of my way."  
  
"Because..." Miroku spluttered, caught for a convincing comeback.  
  
Kagome watched them in disbelief. Sesshomaru and Miroku. Bickering. Not fighting. Not yelling. -Bickering-.   
  
And Miroku was most certainly alive, but he had changed. For starters, he had only groped her twice. Secondly, he was wearing clothes that very closely matched Sesshomaru's own robes. And there was the fact that his cursed hand was looking suspiciously un-cursed. Her head was hurting slightly.   
  
Yet, she didn't remember falling into an alternate dimension where Naraku had been defeated and Sesshomaru was on friendly terms with... well, anyone. So there could only be one explanation. She must be having a nightmare.  
  
She pinched herself and winced. Okay, maybe not. Time to go to plan B: trying to understand what the hell was going on.  
  
"You bloody stupid... Whoever took Inuyasha obviously will figure out that he got the wrong person! He'll be back!" Miroku practically shouted, glaring at Sesshomaru.  
  
"More importantly, what does this Kageki hope to accomplish by kidnapping Miroku?" Sango interjected, eyeing Sesshomaru with decided hostility.  
  
He glared back. "If you must know, Kageki is my younger cousin."  
  
The rest of the group stared at him. Kagome wrinkled her forehead in thought. Sesshomaru had more family? Inuyasha had never mentioned that.  
  
"Is that supposed to tell us something, youkai?" Sango's eyes narrowed more, if that was possible.  
  
"Of course!" Kagome gasped. "He's next in line, isn't he?"  
  
Sesshomaru nodded, slightly. "Precisely."  
  
"What, are you afraid of him?" Shippo pulled a face at the other youkai. "I can't believe this, you're supposed to b--" Miroku slapped his hand over the kitsune's mouth as Sesshomaru looked down at him.  
  
"I'd prefer not to waste my time with him."   
  
"Still... Isn't it awfully pretentious of him?" Miroku frowned. "I mean, trying to blackmail you out of power like this seems a bit out of line."  
  
Sesshomaru snorted. "Stupid. He should know me better than that. As if I'd relinquish my hold on my lands for the life of a mere human."  
  
Kagome noticed how Miroku's mouth seemed to thin slightly. Suddenly he looked much more tense than he had a couple minutes ago. And things started to click. She looked back over to Sesshomaru in disbelief.  
  
The youkai sighed. "Still, it would be prudent to teach the upstart a lesson." 


	10. no time for an interlude

Meh, way too busy lately, plus battling a bit of low-level depression. This whole "gettting a life" and "growing up" thing sucks majorly. Extremely overwhelming. But you all aren't here for me to babble about my issues. ^.~  
  
So. ^^ Drawing ever-closer. This was a -fun- chapter to write, very light and funny. And horribly quick, once I got into it. I really -love- Miroku's pov. *.* It's really easy to slip into and -stay- in.  
  
Beta-thanks go to tdei and Colin. j00 guys r0x0r. ^.^  
  
--==--  
  
Inuyasha snarled as he brushed splinters off his hands. He looked down disdainfully at the remains of the door. Whoever captured him had to be extremely stupid to think that could hold him.   
  
That, unfortunately, ruled out Naraku. He flexed his claws trying to think of who else would try something like this and coming up completely blank.  
  
So, wonderful. His enemy was an unknown entity that apparently wasn't over-endowed when it came to intelligence. He hated enemies like that - they were often some of the most dangerous.   
  
Inuyasha glanced around the narrow hallway. A few more cells like the one he had just broken out of lined it, and at the end there was another door, thicker, and wrapped with dark metal.  
  
He smirked. Entirely too easy.  
  
Or, that's what he thought until he threw his weight at the door and bounced halfway back down the hall.   
  
Inuyasha stared up at the door in disbelief.   
  
He got back up, wincing, and made his way back to the door, examining it. He reached out to touch it, cautiously, feeling the menacing crackle of magic under his fingertips before he even made contact with the door.  
  
Aw hell. It was warded. Obviously, the area was designed to keep both demon and humans contained.  
  
He glared at the door. When he found out who was behind this, he was going to rip them to -shreds-.   
  
--==--  
  
It was getting hot. Miroku lifted an arm to wipe the sweat off his brow. They had been following the trail all morning, since last night, in fact. Sesshomaru had insisted that they drop Shippo off under the care of Jaken, and that they leave immediately.  
  
Ugh, he could have at least let them get a decent night's sleep. But of course -he- didn't need any sleep, so why should they? He breathed deep, trying to relax the over-tense muscles in his shoulders and neck that were giving him a faint headache.  
  
"Can't you people go any faster?" Sesshomaru's cold voice made him grimace. "I could have been there and back already."  
  
Kagome glared at him. "No. We can't."  
  
"They why do you insist on coming with me?"  
  
"Didn't we already go over this?" Kagome folded her arms, shooting the youkai an irritated look.  
  
"Refresh my memory, wench." His tone was dry, almost amused as she bristled.  
  
"Wench?" Kagome's voice was nearing the shrill side of the scale and Miroku winced.   
  
"They want Inuyasha back. Alive." Miroku interjected, hoping to stave off an argument. Somehow, he didn't think that Sesshomaru and Kagome snarling at each other like cats in heat was going to help anything - especially the dull ache in his temples.  
  
He had to admit, though, that analogy was unworthy of him. He blamed it on the headache. Which -was- getting steadily worse, damnit, and he wondered if maybe he could convince Sesshomaru to take a short break, maybe next to a nice cool stream...  
  
"And you?"  
  
Huh? Miroku blinked, his thoughts having already gone a hundred miles ahead. "I'm sorry?"  
  
"Do you have a vested interest in seeing my bastard brother alive again?" Sesshomaru's voice could have taught December lessons on how to be chilly.   
  
Miroku answered without thinking. "Of course I do." He looked up at the youkai, and his breath caught at the cold, carefully controlled fire in his eyes.  
  
"Very well then." Smooth as silk, but definitely cornering the market on deadly. Miroku frowned. What was his problem?  
  
He was still worrying at the thought, when an hour later Sango quietly spoke to Sesshomaru.  
  
"Absolutely not."  
  
"You know it won't take that long, and we all need it."  
  
"Of course you do." Was that a bit of sarcasm? "Must you waste my time like this?"  
  
Sango was unfazed, she just folded her arms and looked at the youkai with a slight smirk. "You know, you look like you could use a break too. I think you're getting flushed." He raised an eyebrow, and she sighed. "Just give us a minute, Sesshomaru, to get water."  
  
Miroku could have kissed her for braving that. ...hn... Kissing Sango. He smiled at that thought, and the thoughts that followed it, letting them spin themselves into a pretty little daydream.  
  
Thwack. A solid hit to the back of his head woke him up, and he glared back at Kagome. "What was that for?"   
  
"You were leering."  
  
"Oh." Hell. He coughed, uncomfortably, and looked away. His eyes just happened to fall on Sesshomaru, who was walking away from the group, disappearing through the trees that lined the bank of the creek.  
  
Now, wasn't that the perfect opportunity to confront him over all the various little things that were bothering him. Miroku started after the youkai, tossing a vague "Hey, Kagome, I'll be right back," over his shoulder.  
  
Sesshomaru hadn't gone far, just enough to be out of ready earshot of the rest of the group. He stood, staring at the water, and there was a slight frown on his lips, and his forehead was wrinkled as if he was thinking about something. He didn't even acknowledge Miroku's presence as the human walked up next to him.  
  
"Hey."   
  
The youkai twitched slightly. "Go away."  
  
Oh, goody, the cold shoulder. Miroku glared at the other man's profile, crossing his arms. "No. I have something I need to talk to you about."  
  
Sesshomaru turned to him slowly, face set in a cold, impassive mask, letting the silence play out for a while until he finally asked. "Well?"  
  
Into the fire... Miroku took a deep breath. "What was that, back there?"   
  
"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about." Sesshomaru turned back away from him.  
  
Of all the... Youkai had absolutely no manners, Miroku decided as he quickly caught the lord's sleeve. Sesshomaru stopped, glared back at him as the human launched into his tirade. "I think you do. And don't give me the cold shoulder or the innocent act. Something's making you angry, and I'm willing to lay money down on the fact that it's about Inuyasha. So. What is this all about?"  
  
Sesshomaru scoffed. "Besides the fact that he's a weakling, a bastard, and a waste of my time?"  
  
"You know that's not what I'm asking."  
  
The youkai reached out, drawing a single talon up along his neck, the underside of his jaw. "I think you know what my problem is."  
  
"Actually... I really don't. I've been trying to figure it out, but I'm coming up blank. I mean, I know you hate him on principle, but this seemed to have more to do with me. I know it can't be jealousy...." He trailed off at the slight tightening of Sesshomaru's mouth.  
  
Miroku choked back a laugh. "Tell me you're joking." The youkai remained silent, staring at him impassively. Miroku sighed, putting on his serious face. "... alright, so you're not. Mind telling me just what about my relationship with Inuyasha makes you so jealous?"  
  
Silence. Not that he really expected anything different, but it made him suddenly very angry. "Fine. Be that way, you stubborn, stupid ass," he snarled, turning on his heel, desperate to be out of there before he swung at the youkai (and regretted it).  
  
"...You said his name." The admission was quiet, but it was there, at least. Miroku stopped, turned back to face Sesshomaru, whose expression was closely guarded.  
  
Well no shit, I've said his name at least a half a dozen times today alone, Miroku thought sourly. Which of course, knowing the little bit about Sesshomaru that he did, meant that couldn't be all of it, it had go a bit deeper.   
  
He frowned, thinking about it. Had to be before the idiot had managed to get himself kidnapped, but when? Funny thing, as he racked his brain, he couldn't remember mentioning the hanyou before he had been abducted. Finally, he had to ask.   
  
"I did? When?"  
  
The youkai stared at him for a few more impossibly tense seconds before he sighed lightly. "The other night. You were asleep."  
  
Miroku blinked at Sesshomaru. No way. He took a few steps, till he was close to Sesshomaru again, staring up into his gold eyes. "You mean... you're jealous of Inu-Yasha because I said his name once in my sleep?" He paused, eyes wide and incredulous, mouth hanging open.  
  
Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. "You were dreaming about him."  
  
Miroku tried. He really did. But he couldn't help it, it was all just too absurd. Before he knew it, the laughter had bubbled to the surface and wouldn't go away. He laughed so hard he was panting for breath, and hand to grab onto the youkai's arm for support.   
  
Sesshomaru growled. "What is so funny?"  
  
"Oh god..." Miroku wiped tears away from his eyes, trying to quell the last of his giggles. "I can't believe that you thought me... and him..." He took a deep breath, trying to control himself.  
  
"One night, he called out 'Kaede' in his sleep." The two jumped as Sango's voice chimed in. "Kaede." She was smiling wryly as she walked up to them. "When we asked him about it, he had no clue what we were talking about."  
  
Miroku flushed, the laughter completely dying off. Oh, god, she -had- to bring that up.  
  
"Kaede?" Sesshomaru looked completely nonplussed. "Who is that?"  
  
Groaning, Miroku ran a hand over his burning face. "Dried-up old priestess we know, and shut up Sango, it's really not -that- funny." He sighed deeply, ignoring the demon hunter's snickering and putting on his best tragically noble look. "The old bat teased me about it for weeks. Kept making improper suggestions to me." Theatrically, he held a hand to his brow. "Such intimations should not be made to a pure and unsullied monk such as myself!"  
  
He never thought that Sesshomaru and Sango could come up with such identical looks.  
  
"... Miroku, you never cease to amaze me." Sango shook her head, smiling wryly. "Anyway, we're all rested. Shall we continue?"  
  
Sesshomaru nodded curtly, glancing at Miroku briefly before leaving them. Sango made to follow him, but Miroku grabbed her by the arm. He had to talk to her, alone, before anything else happened.  
  
"Hey... Thank you."  
  
She smiled at him, waved her free hand airily. "Don't mention it."  
  
Shaking his head, he smiled back. "No, really. Sango... I'm sorry about... well, everything. You're too good to me."  
  
Sango looked slightly taken aback. "Miroku..."  
  
"You know, you're the best friend I've ever had."   
  
She sighed, grabbed his other hand too, but dropped her gaze slightly. "I'm just... sorry I couldn't be more."  
  
He shrugged. "You win some, you lose some. Our timing wasn't right. But even so... I'm just... glad to have you around, no matter what."   
  
Surprisingly, he meant every word of it.  
  
She smiled at him, and he was struck again by how beautiful she could be. She hugged him then, good and tight, and he let himself relax into her arms. And he didn't even cop a feel (he was quite proud of himself for that one).  
  
"Hey, we better catch up, or your boyfriend will be jealous of me too." Sango chuckled as she drew out of the hug.  
  
Miroku blushed and stammered. Sango rolled her eyes. "I'd have to be blind not to see it." She snorted. "I don't know what you see in him. Really, you should have taken Kaede up on her offer..."  
  
He coughed. "So! Inuyasha. Rescuing. Let's go." Resolutely, he pulled her in the direction Sesshomaru had gone, before she could torture him any more. 


	11. the upper hand

Ara~ @.@ Possession is onto it's 35th page. And winding down so quickly. :/ I -believe- there's only one more chapter to go. Frelled if I'm sure of that though, I've got no concept of actually sitting down and figuring things out like that. n.n;  
  
The first chapter of the Naraku/Miroku story arc is pretty much ready to go, all it needs is a direct transfusion of teh sex0r omg. ^^ In case anyone here in interested, I'll (probably) be publishing it concurrently with the end of this fic, so keep an eye out!  
  
In response to one of my reviews, I'd like to point out that Sesshomaru wasn't acting like a girl in the last chapter, per se... just like someone jealous who really didn't want to -admit- he was. (after all, the great youkai lord, Sesshomaru, jealous of a halfbreed? preposterous!)  
  
Finally, uberbetathanks to Colin (even if I ignored your advice on that one line XD;) ophelia, and chloe, all who helped me smooth out some of the kinks in this chapter and keep my continuity. My mind is like a -sieve-. -.-; Last but not least - I make a reference to Sunfreak's Things Worth Dying For! Thanks to Rinlove for that. And those of you who haven't... Go. Read~!  
  
--==--  
  
The remainder of the trip was spent in relative silence. Miroku was still embarrassed, blushing every time Sesshomaru looked at him. The demon couldn't imagine why - it wasn't as if he cared that the monk had lecherous dreams of old women.   
  
Sango and Kagome were also quiet, both seeming to be deep in thought. Probably wondering if his weakling of a brother was alright. He scoffed to himself. Stupid humans and their emotional attachments.  
  
Nevertheless... it was perfect. Finally, -finally- there were no humans babbling at him. Peace and quiet. He could almost forget they were there.   
  
So why was he still so irritated? The question worried at him, as much as he tried to ignore it. He rolled his shoulders, trying to relieve some of the tension, and looked over at the monk, whose eyes were firmly trained on the ground in front of him. His cheeks were still a pale pink.  
  
Sesshomaru suddenly realized that he was smiling faintly as he watched Miroku, and immediately wiped all expression from his face. Shaking himself, he forced his eyes back on the trail, resisting the urge to watch the human out of the corner of his eye.  
  
Though the rest of the journey seemed like an eternity, before he quite realized it, they were in the main hall of Kageki's palace.  
  
He stared impassively at his cousin, wishing that he could deny being related to the milksop. But no, Kageki had the same gold eyes and the same long, shockingly red hair that he remembered his mother had.  
  
Too bad Kageki wasn't half the warrior he should have been, giving his lineage.  
  
Something was wrong though. He had easily ripped through the few guards that his cousin had - however the child was positively beaming with glee, rubbing his hands together like a merchant with snake oil.   
  
Kageki still thought he had the upper hand, somehow.  
  
Sesshomaru watched the other demon closely, wary of any tricks or deceptions he might pull, while concentrating on keeping himself relaxed, serene. Even if the sight of the brat made him want to pummel him.   
  
Kageki smiled at Sesshomaru, a thin, oily smile. "Have you come to surrender to me?"   
  
Whether or not the pup had anything up his sleeve, Sesshomaru had to suppress an undignified laugh at that. Kageki actually sounded like he expected Sesshomaru to hand the title over right then and there.   
  
"Not at all. I'm simply here to retrieve my brother." The youkai kept his reply bland, letting the slightest amount of vague amusement color it.   
  
"B..brother?" Kageki blinked, clearly thrown.  
  
"Yes. Inuyasha is my brother." Sesshomaru heaved a long-suffering sigh as he took in the complete confusion on the other demon's face, and relaxed slightly. "You halfwit."  
  
"How can he be your-he's a human!" Kageki was pale, sweating slightly. He gripped his hands together tightly.  
  
"Halfbreed. Honestly, how have you survived this long?" He shook his head.   
  
"But he... you... aren't you two lov-"  
  
Sesshomaru sniffed, cutting Kageki off. "You are a disgrace to the youkai. Honestly, can't you tell the difference between a human and a hanyou?"  
  
"ME?" The demon sputtered, clearly enraged. "How can you presume to say that, you... you took a filthy little -human- as a lo-"  
  
Sesshomaru's hand shot out, and the younger youkai let out a shrill screech as Sesshomaru gripped his neck tightly. "Shut. Up. Honestly, perhaps I'll do what your mother should have when you were a pup and just kill you right now."  
  
Kageki's eyes bulged as he stared up at Sesshomaru. He struggled, whimpering slightly, choking on his words as he began to babble. "No... I'm s-sorry, cousin, p-please don't, I won't trouble you again..."  
  
The youkai lord stared at him impassively for a tense minute, broken only by Kageki's pathetic sniveling. Then he sighed in disgust. The miserable excuse for a youkai stared up at him, terror in his eyes.  
  
"I suppose it's not worth the trouble." He let go of his cousin, who stumbled, clutching at his throat. "Where is he?"  
  
Kageki only waved towards the interior of the palace, coughing raspily.  
  
Sesshomaru nodded curtly and turned on his heel, motioning for the others to follow him, and started out of the room. But wait, where was the monk?   
  
He glanced behind, to see Miroku kneeling next to his cousin, a slim blade glittering in his hand. He opened his mouth, about to yell at the him, when he heard the low whisper that none of the humans could possibly register.   
  
If you ever cause Shou-sama any trouble again, or if you ever try to kidnap me again... I swear, I'll cut ya." A small, dangerous smile hovered on Miroku's lips, and for a second, Sesshomaru felt his skin tingle in a icy burst of electricity.  
  
Flatly, to keep his voice steady, he called. "Miroku."   
  
The monk looked up, and the knife disappeared from his hand as he nodded and stood up to join them.  
  
--==--  
  
Inuyasha sighed, shifting slightly as he glowered at the door from his battle-ready crouch on the floor. His hands were locked around the hilt of his sword, and his eyes stung slightly.  
  
As if staring at the door would somehow de-ward it. Foolish.  
  
God, how could he have been so overconfident? Assuming it wasn't Naraku that held him just because he had been able to break through one flimsy door. It was just that bastard's style to trick him like that.  
  
He just really,-really- wished he knew what this was all about.   
  
Could Naraku mean to kill him? If so, why hadn't he done it already? Did the bastard want to turn him into one of his stupid puppets? Was he using him as bait?  
  
Both of the last options made the hair on the back of his neck prickle. Death happened. He could accept that. But to be used to entrap, or again hurt his comrades...   
  
He growled to himself. Damn Naraku.  
  
So, he waited, ready for battle. No matter how long it would take the asshole to come for him.  
  
It had been hours. Perhaps he was giving Inuyasha time to grow weak, careless. Perhaps he had forgotten him.  
  
God damnit, his mind was racing. He couldn't stop thinking, re-thinking, making plans, discarding them. At this rate, he was going to drive himself insane. He concentrated on taking deep breaths, trying to let the tension go.  
  
His ears pricked for what had to be the thousandth time since he had been thrown down here. Footsteps? He tightened his grip on the Tetsaiga slightly.  
  
--==--  
  
Sesshomaru hissed as he pulled his hand back from the solid door, muffling a curse.   
  
"What is it?" Kagome peeked around Sesshomaru curiously.  
  
Miroku looked over the youkai's shoulder at the ordinary-looking door. "Is there something wrong?"  
  
"It's warded." The youkai replied tersely. "How Kageki managed -that- trick...."  
  
Miroku grinned. "Isn't it obvious?" The lord's glare told him otherwise, and he smirked. "He paid a monk, Sesshomaru."  
  
The demon snorted. "I didn't know your ilk was so buyable."  
  
"Are you implying Miroku is-" Sango began, poking her head around Kagome, clearly incensed.  
  
"No, he's right, Sango." Miroku cut her off as he pushed past Sesshomaru. He laid his hand lightly on the door. Power hummed under his fingertips. "Some of us are." He closed his eyes briefly, gauging the strength of magic.   
  
Ah, a simple ward. He traced a symbol over the door, grinned in satisfaction at the brief flicker it made as the ward dissolved. "None of the good ones are, however. Lucky for us."   
  
He eased the door open, flashing a triumphant grin back at the rest.  
  
--==--  
  
Someone -was- there, he was sure of it. Inuyasha rose to a battle-ready crouch, clutching Tetsaiga and trying to make out the muffled voices on the other side of the door.   
  
The door slid open smoothly, and he launched himself towards it, snarling. He'd be damned if he wasn't going to go out fighting.  
  
Too late he saw it, his brother shoving Miroku back, flinging up an arm to try to deflect the strike.  
  
The blade fell from his hands, to rest with Sesshomaru's severed arm. He stared at them, shocked, torn between elation and utter confusion.  
  
What the hell was his brother doing there?  
  
Sesshomaru looked down at the bloody stump and sighed. "Well, at least it was the same one." 


	12. nearer the laughter

Okay. Last chapter time. There WILL be an epilogue, so forgive me if it's a bit abrupt... and also if it leaves some things open. I like open-ended stories.  
  
I'll miss Possession a lot. ._. But I'm so stressed with all these projects I've started, I need to finish a couple of them. And really, there's only so far I could drag this out. Maybe I'll do something with it again, someday.  
  
Look for the epilogue... soon...ish? I know, I suck at writing quickly lately. Sorry. And thanks for your patience.  
  
Beta props for this go to Kat, Colin, tdei, and Cate. You guys are the bestest. And thanks to everyone who's supported, reviewed, beta-ed, and read throughout the life of this fic. You all are my heros!  
  
--==--  
  
Kagome tied the bandage off gently, then sighed. "That should be good for now." She frowned. "Do youkai get infections? I could get some antibacterial cream..."  
  
"Feh." Inuyasha snorted. "That's enough fussing, woman."  
  
"Inuyasha." Kagome's voice was dangerous and her eyes narrowed as she looked at the hanyou.   
  
"What?" He glared at her for a second, then folded his arms irritably, and settled for glaring at the sky.  
  
Sesshomaru looked down at the bandaged stump, studying it. He had to admit to himself that the human wench had done a passably good job on stopping the bleeding and cleaning the wound, he would probably have just rinsed it in a river. This would almost certainly make it easier to attach another prosthetic.  
  
He stood up slowly, a touch awkwardly. He hadn't adjusted to his change in balance, and wouldn't have to if he found a new arm soon.   
  
"Where do you think you're going?" Kagome looked at him, hands on her hips. "You should be resting."  
  
"No, he should be going." Inuyasha glared over at his brother.   
  
Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow slightly, but nodded. "Yes."  
  
"I don't care. I don't want you bleeding to death out in the forest."  
  
The crease in Inuyasha's forehead got deeper as he turned to the girl. "Kagome, since WHEN do we care what happens to my brother? Did you -forget- how he tries to kill us every chance he gets?"  
  
"Did -you- forget how he helped save your life?"  
  
Sesshomaru winced. Their voices were getting shriller, and they were exchanging furious glares, not paying attention to anyone but each other.  
  
"Oh, like he really did that all for me-"  
  
"Does it -matter- why he did it?"  
  
Sesshomaru sighed and slid past them, deeper into the forest, where he couldn't hear them fighting anymore. He was still dizzy and sick-feeling from his wound, and his head ached. He needed to rest a little.   
  
Soon, he would have to search for a new arm, and then he would have to go back to his home. He had left Rin alone with Jaken far too long. He shuddered to think of what type of trouble she could have managed to get into already. Jaken made a terrible babysitter. Miroku was much better at it.  
  
He stopped short. The monk. When exactly had he last seen him? As they were leaving Kageki's castle? After they had made camp? A small frown wrinkled his forehead, and he closed his eyes, inhaling deeply.  
  
The familiar smell of the human reassured him. He was close by. Probably just gathering firewood. Good... it would be terribly inconvenient to try and chase down his captive today.  
  
He sat down to lean against a tree, suddenly very tired. Damned Inuyasha, forever waving that damned sword around. He closed his eyes. Unmannered, disrespectful cur...  
  
Sesshomaru's ears pricked slightly, and he caught a murmur of sound, getting louder. "...pulling Jaken's ears."   
  
"But uncle M'rokuuu..." The whine was utterly familiar, and he opened his eyes.  
  
"Now, Rin, what would Shou-sama think if he saw you abusing his servant like that?"  
  
The piercing shriek and string of curses that followed could only have come from said servant.  
  
"Rin, stop. Now. Or I'll have to carry you the rest of the way and you won't be able to play for the rest of the day." Miroku's voice was firm but patient.  
  
"Who'll play with Rin anyway? Where are we going uncle Miroku?"  
  
Sesshomaru searched the woods, looking for movement in the direction he heard the voices from. Finally, a hint of scarlet broke through the trees, and Miroku came into view.   
  
"We're meeting some friends of mine."  
  
"And will Sesshomaru-sama be there?"  
  
"Of course." A slight pause, and Miroku's eyebrows drew together. He could hear the monk grumble under his breath "If he didn't run off like an idiot already."  
  
Sesshomaru clenched his teeth on his irritation. "I'm here. And I assure you I am not an idiot."   
  
Miroku started, eyes searching for him. Rin, however shrieked and broke away, running straight to fling herself at Sesshomaru. He winced slightly, and raised his hand to her back.  
  
"Rin missed Sesshomaru-sama!" She burrowed her face into his shoulder, and he let out a long-suffering sigh, but he couldn't help feeling just the slightest bit warmed by her words. He looked up at Miroku, who was smiling faintly as he approached.  
  
"You went all the way back to the castle?"  
  
He shrugged, looking slightly uncomfortable. "It's fairly close."  
  
Sesshomaru frowned to himself. Granted, he had been a touch disoriented, but it couldn't be that close. Could it?  
  
He pushed Rin away gently, and she reached up to push her hair back. Wilted flowers hung from the tangled mess, and she had mud smeared on her cheek. And half her clothes. Sesshomaru winced, then glared at his servant. "Jaken. See to it that Rin gets herself cleaned up."  
  
Rin screwed up her face, wavering between whining and obeying Sesshomaru. Jaken bowed quickly, and with some difficulty pulled her away by her kimono sleeve.  
  
Miroku sighed, and sank to his knees at Sesshomaru's side, inspecting Kagome's bandaging job and nodding to himself slightly, brow furrowed in concentration. Suddenly, forcefully, the youkai remembered when he first noticed the monk.  
  
"She did well." The soft words startled Sesshomaru, as the human raised his eyes to look at him. "I'm glad."  
  
Miroku's gaze was intense, concerned, and layered with so many emotions that Sesshomaru looked away for a moment. "Why did you bring them?"  
  
He chuckled, leaning back against the tree next to Sesshomaru. "Well, I didn't want Rin-chan to be all alone with only that toad for company."  
  
"Jaken isn't a toad. And we would have been back soon."  
  
Miroku shrugged. "I know... but still, you have to find a new arm and..." He trailed off, sighing slightly and shifting.  
  
"What?"   
  
Miroku shook his head, and Sesshomaru pressed his lips together in irritation. "Miroku..." The damned priest was always trying to hide his true motives.   
  
He sighed, looking somehow guilty. "It's Naraku." His eyes were dark, troubled. "Even if the curse of the air void has been taken from me... even if I have no children... even so, he should not be allowed to exist."  
  
Sesshomaru paused, considering his words carefully. "So... you were hoping that I'd... what? Join up with my brother and his woman to destroy him?"  
  
Miroku blushed slightly, and carefully avoided looking at the youkai, who was blinking at him slightly. "I... don't know. I guess so. I mean, you did essentially the same with Kageki, and Naraku is certainly more of a threat to you and..." he trailed off softly.  
  
"I did not team up with them. I allowed them to tag along." Sesshomaru's words were cold, clipped and slightly offended, making the priest wince. "But you're right. I suppose we'll have to help kill him, since I'm sure my idiot brother will never manage it by himself."  
  
Miroku's head snapped towards Sesshomaru, and the youkai had to suppress a bit of a laugh. He looked completely, utterly shocked. But then, he was a bit surprised himself.   
  
"You..." Miroku's mouth hung on the words, not even daring to give them voice. Sesshomaru leaned in, taking advantage and kissing the priest. Hands rose slowly, to sink into his hair.  
  
Finally, he pulled back. "Of course, you know what this means."  
  
Miroku shook his head, soundlessly.   
  
Sesshomaru sniffed slightly. "We're going to have to teach my bastard of a brother some manners."  
  
The confusion dissolved, broke, and Miroku was laughing, a breathless chuckle. "Looks like we have our work cut out for us." 


	13. epilogue naming the stars

I will be repenting for the absolute -fluff- of this epilogue for a year. :/ Luckily, it's counterbalanced by my new series-fic, Fragments of Freedom, which is decidedly un-fluffy.   
  
Still, I KNOW there will be people who will enjoy the fact that this is utter cheescake. *grins*   
  
A word about the content... I'm -assuming- that the Japanese scholars of this time had proper names for the stars -- after all, they had imported Chinese learning, and astrology/divination was part of that and... yea. I'm shutting up now, but that's what I based that bit on. If I'm wrong, let me know, please. ;o;  
  
Anyway, I know this is very late, considering I technically ended the fic a while ago, but I hope you all like it! *^^*;;;  
  
As always, my love and thanks to Colin, my super-beta and best friend. Possession would not have been possible without his support and red pen. Other special thanks go to Sunfreak and Kat. You two have been my creative compases and I'm so glad I've had you around to bounce ideas off and stay inspired. In fact, I think I may have drawn a bit from Sunfreak on the title/mood of this chapter. Love you, darlin.  
  
--==--  
  
"I still can't believe it." The words were quiet, as if they weren't meant to be heard.  
  
Miroku looked over at the youkai sitting next to him, curiously. Sesshomaru's face seemed warm in the firelight, a strange contrast to his usual pallor. He was flexing the fingers on his new arm, watching them carefully. Everyone else was sleeping as they kept watch, and the night was quiet, warm.  
  
"What?"  
  
Sesshomaru shrugged vaguely and Miroku sighed, half-smiling wryly. He had finally realized how utterly horrible the youkai was at voicing what he felt. He prodded slightly. "That they accepted you? That you and Inuyasha haven't killed each other yet? That Rin and Shippo are practically attached at the hip?"  
  
Sesshomaru nodded, and Miroku smiled.   
  
"And also..." The youkai paused, eyes flickering over towards Miroku. "...you wanted me here. I honestly didn't expect that."  
  
Miroku turned his head to the side. "Neither did I, to be honest. But..." he trailed off and shrugged. "I do."   
  
They trailed off into comfortable silence, and Miroku slid closer, slinging a loose arm around Sesshomaru's waist. The demon tensed for the barest second, then sighed, relaxing.  
  
"Do you ever try to count them, Sesshomaru?"   
  
"What?"  
  
"The stars." Miroku looked up, smiling slightly. "Have you ever counted them?"  
  
"No."  
  
The monk laughed softly. "That doesn't surprise me, I guess. Back when I was in training, I used to fall asleep counting them. I named them, too... this was before I learned their real names."  
  
He smiled fondly. "I still call them by my names though."  
  
Sesshomaru paused, then asked, "Shou-sama?"  
  
Miroku winced and scratched the back of his head, a wry grin twisting his lips. "Eh... you heard that?" He chuckled slightly.  
  
Sesshomaru fixed the monk with his iciest glare. "I am a youkai lord. My hearing is impeccable -- and my name is Sesshomaru. It is not to be reduced to a ridiculous nickname."  
  
The human paused for a second, and sighed. "Alright." A few seconds slipped by in silence, then he asked, "would you prefer Maru-chan?"  
  
Sesshomaru blinked, then sighed in irritation. "... you're not going to stop, are you?"   
  
Miroku flashed an unrepentant grin, and pressed a quick kiss to Sesshomaru's temple. "'course not."  
  
Clawed fingertips curled around his neck, keeping him close. He stared into the youkai's intense gold eyes.  
  
"Tell me?"  
  
Miroku looked at Sesshomaru, and smiled softly. "Maybe... but maybe by then you'll have named them for yourself." 


End file.
